Williams-Sonoma slates next batch of free classes

The William-Sonoma store in Crossgates Mall in Guilderland has announced five cooking classes being held through the first weekend of October. The hourlong classes begin at 11 a.m. on Sundays and are free, but reservations are required; call 456-0201 or stop in the store. The lineup:

I would think that I would get very stressed if I had to watch a demo on basic ingredients/technique. My inner Julia would come out and I’d want to take over and add my two cents to every step. (The performer in me, no doubt.) Therefore, I refrain from these classes offered by stores.

On the other hand, I do think I lose out because I might meet like-minded folks and maybe actually meet people outside my work life.

It cuts me, this indecision.

Oh, back to your question. Go for it, it doesn’t cost a dime, and you probably get a good lesson and free food.

I guess I will provide a little more background. I have been cooking for quite a while and like to think I’m pretty good at it, but I have no training. My family doesn’t cook (well) so pretty much everything I learned was from watching cooking shows on TV.

I was interested in taking some classes, but if this is going to just be some minimum wager from the store doing a demo off a sheet that doesn’t sound like its for me.

I went maybe a year or two to a summer grilling one, and the person was NOT an employee of WS, but someone brought in. He was very good, factual, easy to understand, and entertaining.

I dont remember where he was from.

Kind of disappointing to hear that it is now the WS employees doing the classes. I was very interested in signing up for the espresso/coffee one, but if it is just some employee pulling shots off of some overpriced Superauto Delonghi, then I’ll pass.

You get what you pay for. This is free. It’s intended to get you into the store and no doubt to demonstrate the use of equipment they sell. I have thought about taking the fresh pasta class, but will call to make sure it’s not just about using an electric gadget to mix and extrude pasta instead of rolling and cutting it.

Just a quick reply to some of the comments in regards to the Williams-Sonoma technique classes that are offered for free on some Sundays at 11am.

Yes! All three demonstrators in fact work for Williams-Sonoma. One is a trained chef and teaches culinary courses at a local school, one has been teaching cooking classes in private practice for over 30 years and has taken intensive cooking classes all over the world, and one has worked both in kitchens and the front of the house and has a catering and events business.

These three demonstrators are not the only stand-outs on staff: there are culinary students and graduates, a food stylist and photographer, and several restaurant folks. All of us that work at Williams-Sonoma share one thing in common – we enjoy being able to help home cooks and share our knowledge with people off all experience and skill levels and to help making things a bit more flavorful. Through sharing, we learn as much as we teach.

These technique classes are not cooking classes – they show basic skills, explain ingredients, and sometimes help de-mystify a dish, so that home cooks can feel more comfortable working new dishes or foods into their own home cooking.

Please come and check out the classes, they are always fun, something always goes wrong like it does at home, and we are pretty sure you will leave the class with a new understanding or a new taste you want to try at home.